Justin Chang

Justin Chang
Chang at the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival
Born1983 (age 40–41)
Southern California, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Southern California (BA)
OccupationFilm critic
Years active2004–present
AwardsPulitzer Prize for Criticism (2024)

Justin Choigee Chang is an American film critic and columnist currently working at The New Yorker. He previously worked for Variety and for The Los Angeles Times. His 2023 reviews at the Times won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.[1][2]

Early life and education

Justin Chang graduated from the University of Southern California in 2004.[3][4] Chang first became interested in film critique while in high school because he found it fascinating that intelligent people could have very different reactions to films.[5]

Career

Chang was hired by Variety magazine in 2004,[6][7] and became a senior film critic for the magazine in 2010 before being promoted to its chief film critic in 2013.[6][4] He is the author of the book FilmCraft: Editing.[8] In 2016, he joined the Los Angeles Times, where he remained until 2024, when he joined The New Yorker.[4][9] He is a regular contributor to the NPR programs FilmWeek and Fresh Air.[4]

Chang is the chair of the National Society of Film Critics and the secretary of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. In 2014, he received the inaugural Roger Ebert Award from the African-American Film Critics Association.[4] While accepting the New Generation Award for Creed at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards ceremony in January 2016, American film director and screenwriter Ryan Coogler praised Chang for his contributions to criticism.

Chang won the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism on May 6, 2024, for his articles published during his final year with the Los Angeles Times. His selection of work was led by an opinion piece that defended British-American film director Christopher Nolan's decision to avoid depictions of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in his film Oppenheimer (2023).[2][10]

End-of-year lists

Chang produces an annual "best-of-the-year" movie list, thereby providing an overview of his critical preferences. His top choices were:

Personal life

Chang is a Christian.[21]

Bibliography

  • Chang, Justin C. (2011). FilmCraft: Editing. Focal Press. ISBN 978-0-240-81864-1. OCLC 757148890.

References

  1. ^ Gerard, Jeremy (April 6, 2016). "L.A. Times Hires Justin Chang As Film Critic & Columnist". Deadline. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
  2. ^ a b James, Meg (May 6, 2024). "Los Angeles Times' former film critic Justin Chang wins Pulitzer Prize for criticism". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Justin Chang '04". USC Alumni Association. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Staff writer. "Justin Chang". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  5. ^ Chang, Justin (February 18, 2014a). "I am Justin Chang, chief film critic at Variety. Ask me anything". Reddit. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  6. ^ a b "Justin Chang Hired as Film Critic for L.A. Times". RogerEbert.com. April 7, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  7. ^ Chang 2014a, § 7.
  8. ^ Chang, Justin C. (2011). FilmCraft: Editing. Waltham, Massachusetts: Focal Press. ISBN 9780240818641. OCLC 1049517066.
  9. ^ Moreau, Jordan (January 30, 2024). "Film Critic and Variety Alum Justin Chang Leaves L.A. Times to Join The New Yorker". Variety. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  10. ^ Chang, Justin (August 11, 2023). "'Oppenheimer' doesn't show us Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That's an act of rigor, not erasure". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 22, 2023. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Chang, Justin (December 13, 2013). "Justin Chang's Top 10 Films of 2013". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  12. ^ Chang, Justin (December 17, 2014). "Justin Chang's Top 10 Films of 2014". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  13. ^ Chang, Justin (December 17, 2015). "Justin Chang's Top 10 Films of 2015". Variety.
  14. ^ Chang, Justin (December 15, 2016). "'Silence,' 'Moonlight,' 'Manchester' highlight Times film critic Justin Chang's Top 10 movies". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  15. ^ "'Call Me by Your Name,' 'The Florida Project' lead Justin Chang's 12 best films of 2017". Chicago Tribune. December 15, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  16. ^ Chang, Justin (December 12, 2018). "Justin Chang's best movies of 2018: 'Burning' and 'First Reformed' lead a year of mystery". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  17. ^ Chang, Justin (December 11, 2020). "The best movies of 2020 — and where to find them". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  18. ^ Phillips, Jevon (March 27, 2022). "How 'Drive My Car' crashed the Oscars — with the help of film critics". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  19. ^ Chang, Justin (January 13, 2023). "In 'No Bears', a banned filmmaker takes bold aim at Iranian society". NPR.
  20. ^ Chang, Justin (December 8, 2023). "The best movies of 2023 — and where to find them". Los Angeles Times.
  21. ^ Chang, Justin (March 30, 2018). "A Christian critic wrestles with new biblical films and the hope of a better 'faith-based' cinema". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 30, 2020.